11Apr14

Jihadist ideologues call on Zawahiri to detail problems with former al Qaeda
affiliate

A group of jihadist ideologues, including a sharia official in the Al Nusrah
Front, have called on Ayman al Zawahiri to address the specific problems that
the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) has caused inside Syria.

The message, which was obtained by The Long War Journal, is being
disseminated on Twitter. A photo of Zawahiri next to a sealed envelope, shown
above, as well as a hashtag are accompanying the message. Oren Adaki, a
research associate and Arabic language specialist at the Foundation for
Defense of Democracies, has provided a translation of the missive.

The ideologues argue that the infighting has led the jihad in Syria astray.

They continue: "And due to our keenness on this blessed jihad and so that it
should lead to fealty along the lines that Allah desires and would be satisfied
with, we ask our Sheikh, Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri - may Allah keep him - to
speak that which is good for the jihad and the mujahideen about the current
situation and specifically about what relates to ISIS before the announcement
of the expansion and after it, and the issue of allegiances (bayat), and the
disputed arbitration between the adversaries."

The three areas the ideologues ask Zawahiri to specifically address are all hot
button issues in the dispute between ISIS and the other jihadist factions,
including the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria.

In a previous message, al Qaeda's general command addressed the first
issue, making it clear that the organization's most senior leaders had not been
consulted before the Islamic State of Iraq decided to expand into Syria.
Afterwards, the group was rebranded as ISIS and its leaders tried,
unsuccessfully, to subsume the Al Nusrah Front under its command. The latest
message implies that there may be more to the story, however.

The issue of ISIS' bayat (oath of allegiance) to Zawahiri has also been
contentious. Al Nusrah Front officials have alleged that Abu Bakr al Baghdadi,
the emir of ISIS, had sworn bayat to Zawahiri and, therefore, pledged to obey
Zawahiri's orders. Al Baghdadi has repeatedly disobeyed Zawahiri's
command. If it is true that he had sworn bayat, then al Baghdadi has violated
the terms of his oath.

To date, Zawahiri has not spoken publicly on this issue despite its importance
to the conflict between ISIS and Al Nusrah.

Finally, the message's signatories call on Zawahiri to discuss "the disputed
arbitration between the adversaries." Multiple attempts have been made to
mediate the differences between ISIS and other groups. ISIS has repeatedly
refused, however, to submit itself to a common sharia (Islamic law) court. Al
Qaeda's leaders and others have advocated for the establishment of such a
court.

As part of the propaganda war between Al Nusrah and ISIS, Al Nusrah
produced several videos featuring leading members of al Qaeda, all of whom
said that ISIS had refused to settle its differences.

Signatories in Zawahiri's camp, but want more pointed criticism of ISIS

Uraydi is a sharia official in the Al Nusrah Front. On his personal Twitter feed,
he has tweeted and retweeted posts praising Zawahiri as the "sheikh of the
mujahideen." Uraydi also reposted the latest message addressed to Zawahiri
on his Twitter feed earlier today.

Quneibi is a preacher in Jordan whose sermons are commonly uploaded and
linked to on Salafi jihadist pages, including those run by al Qaeda ideologues.

Sibai is a longtime member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), a group run by
Zawahiri that merged with Osama bin Laden's venture prior to 9/11. Sibai
heads a jihadist media shop, Al Maqreze Center, that produces an online radio
program. The message addressed to Zawahiri was posted on Al Maqreze's
Twitter feed today.

Muhaysini is a popular, al Qaeda-linked Saudi cleric who relocated to Syria in
late 2013. On Jan. 23, Muhaysini released a reconciliation initiative that was
intended to bring ISIS back into the fold. ISIS rejected Muhaysini's proposal,
which followed a message from Zawahiri, and was then disowned by al
Qaeda's general command.

While the signatories are clearly in Zawahiri's camp, they appear to be
unsatisfied with the al Qaeda master's messaging on Syria thus far. Zawahiri
has discussed the infighting in mainly general terms and has avoided
addressing the specific allegations being hurled back and forth.

For instance, in his recent statement eulogizing Abu Khalid al Suri, Zawahiri
did not mention ISIS by name even though he criticized the group's practices.
Al Suri served as Zawahiri's main representative in Syria and was also a
founding member and senior leader in Ahrar al Sham, one of the leading
groups in the Islamic Front, a coalition of several rebel groups. Al Suri was
killed in a suicide attack on Feb. 23. The attackers were most likely dispatched
by ISIS.

"The situation can no longer bear a delay, and it is no secret to anyone who
follows the jihad in Syria," the signatories write in their message to Zawahiri,
adding that their request is consistent with Islamic teachings.

They add: "We want from our Sheikh [Zawahiri] - may Allah keep him - to
detail for us in a statement and direct us to what will make the matter clear and
reveal it to us, for perhaps Allah is fit to advise him and direct him on the
situation."

[Source: By Thomas Joscelyn, The Long War Journal, NJ, 11Apr14]

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